What To Know About Harrison Burton, One Of The NASCAR Drivers Featured In 'Race For The Championship'

NASCAR fans love to follow their favorite drivers and teams on the track, but what happens when the races end and the competitors head home? That side of life is what's featured in the new USA Network series "Race For The Championship," premiering Thursday, Sept. 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers will follow along with several drivers competing in the NACAR World Cup series, watching as they prep for the action and going behind the scenes at their daily lives off the track.

One driver viewers will get to see more of on "Race For The Championship" is Harrison Burton, one of the newest drivers on the scene. Here's what to know about Harrison.

At just 21, Harrison, a native of Huntersville, North Carolina, is a rookie on the Wood Brothers Racing team, driving the No. 21 Ford Mustang this season (replacing Matt DiBenedetto). He's the youngest NASCAR driver currently — in fact, he's the first driver born after 2000 to compete full-time in the NASCAR Cup series. Many may count him out due to his youth and inexperience, but as "Race For The Championship" will show, he's determined to leave his mark in the NASCAR world.

The sport is in his blood: His father is retired NASCAR Cup series driver Jeff Burton, who now acts as an NBC Sports analyst. Harrison's cousin Jeb Burton is also in the world of racing — he's a current Xfinity Series driver. 

Harrison has been behind the wheel since a young age. His love for driving began when he got a go-kart at age 2, reported The Dothan Eagle in 2017. He the started kart racing at age 12 and the rest is history. Previously, he was part of the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He had four wins and two eighth-place finishes in the season standings in 75 races during that time, reports Motorsport.com.

“It’s definitely a cool opportunity and a big responsibility to carry on that legacy and do it the right way. That’s not lost on me," Harrison told the outlet of his new position on Wood Brothers Racing. “I think the biggest thing for me is that I’ve kind of always put that same pressure on myself to perform and do well ...  I think all drivers want to be the winner. We all want to do the best we can and I think that personality is the same with Wood Brothers and we’re all aligned with our goals. We just have to work really hard to go accomplish them.”

Make sure to tune in to "Race For The Championship" when it premieres Thursday, Sept. 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. You can catch up with all things NASCAR on Peacock.